We’ve written previously about how to prevent cuts in the kitchen. One of the most important preventatives measures you can take is simply sharpening your knives.If you haven’t maintained your knives through all those cuts, chops, slices and dices, you’ll need to do some real sharpening with a whetstone. This is also called “freehand sharpening.” But mastering the skill takes practice. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid when you’re sharpening:

Mistake #1: Not using the right sharpening tools

Proper sharpening requires something called a whetstone: A literal stone, either man-made or natural, that provides an abrasive surface to hone the edge of your dull knife. Whetstones are an old technology, but they remain the most effective way to sharpen any blade (electric sharpeners can ruin a knife).

Mistake #2: Not using the right grit

Sharpening stones are measured by grit, just like sandpaper. Beginners often use the wrong grit – either too coarse, which can damage an edge that only needs minor sharpening, or too fine, which won’t remove enough metal to properly fix the edge. This grit chart provides a reference for what stones to use when sharpening, based on your knife’s condition.

Mistake #3: Not sharpening at the correct angle

Freehand sharpening requires a steady hand and knowing how to properly align your knife’s edge with your sharpening stone. If you run the blade along the stone at an angle that’s too shallow, you won’t sharpen the edge – you’ll just wind up ruining the bevel on the side of the blade. If you go too steep, you can also ruin the edge, making it roll and dull even more.

Finding the right edge means ensuring the cutting bevel is flush with the surface of the sharpening stone and holding that angle while you run the blade across the stone.

Mistake #4: Stopping sharpening too soon

It may sound counterintuitive, but you want to continue sharpening your blade across your whetstone until you form something called a burr: A microscopic, raised lip that forms along the apex of the edge. This means you’ve honed the edge with the stone enough to draw out excess metal, which can then be removed by moving to a hone or strop. The burr can’t be seen with the naked eye, so you’ll need to stop sharpening and check for a burr by gently feeling the edge of the knife.

Mistake #5: Not sharpening the entire cutting edge

It’s easy to get into a rhythm when you freehand sharpen. Unfortunately for beginners, that rhythm can mean only treating one section of the blade’s edge with the sharpening stone. This will result in a blade with on sharp section, while other portions – usually the tip of the blade, and the heel, near the handle – remain dull because they weren’t ran across the stone enough.

Freehand sharpening requires consistent back-and-forth, and side-to-side motion while sharpening. You should run the entire edge of the knife across the stone with each pass, from heel to tip, rotating the knife to ensure that curved portions of the blade remain parallel with the stone.

Mistake #6: Not applying enough (or too much) pressure

Sharpening a knife requires a bit of confidence. If you’re pressing the blade against the stone without sufficient pressure, you won’t remove any metal – and you’ll waste time running the blade back and forth without improving its cutting ability. You should apply moderate pressure to the blade while you’re sharpening – about 5 pounds is sufficient.

Inversely, if you’re applying too much pressure, you can wind up damaging your blade. Usually, pressing too hard also means you’re not maintaining the proper angle while you’re working – and you could even be causing the blade to bend or bow, which guarantees the angle won’t be correct when you’re trying to sharpen.

Mistake #7: Not honing the edge frequently

Unless you’re making heavy striking movements with your blade – which, in most cases, you shouldn’t be doing any cutting that requires such action – then your knife should stay relatively sharp for a long period of time. Modern steels used in knife blades today mean they provide great edge retention with frequent use.

But if you don’t hone that edge and maintain it properly, it’ll eventually dull and even roll, chip, and get damaged. You should use the honing rod that your kitchen knife set probably came with every time you start cooking – before and after, run the blade along the rod at the correct angle at least 10 to 12 times. This should dramatically reduce the number of times you have to sharpen your knives, improving their lifespan.